Yarn winding machine



Jan. 11, 1966 l. s. ROBERTS 3,223,617

YARN WINDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1962 HHIH INVENTORZBY INGHAM s. ROBERTS ATTYS.

I. S. ROBERTS YARN WINDING MACHINE Jan. 11, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 6, 1962 FIG4.

FIG5.

INVENTOR:

INGHAM S. ROBERTS ATTYS.

A m w W MM "4 M/ A 5 w d 4 1, WOW 7. Q m

1966 1. s. ROBERTS YARN WINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed June 6, 1962 FIGQ.

FIGS

FIG! I..

FIGIO.

INVENTOR INGHAM S. ROBERTS ATTVS.

United States Patent 3,228,617 YARN WINDING MACHINE Ingham S. Roberts,412 Harrison St., Ridley Park, Pa. Filed June 6, 1962, Ser. No. 200,5018 Claims. (Cl. 242-45) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in yarn winding machines. More particularly the presentinvention relates to a yarn winding machine having a speed changingmechanism for selectively controlling the take up of the yarn duringpackage formation.

The present invention is an improvement on the yarn winding machineshown in my prior Patent No. 2,509,250, entitled Tension Control forWinding Machines. In my prior yarn winding machine, the speed of anelectric motor drive element is controlled by varying the voltage on themotor by changing the impedance of a coil in series with the motor. Eventhough this control arrangement is satisfactory for some applications,it has disadvantages when used with others. For example, the speedchange ratio of preferred induction type motors is limited to about fourto one so that if the maximum speed is 1600 r.p.m., the minimum operablespeed is about 400 rpm. and this speed range is insufiicient when largepackages must be wound on small tube or cone centers. Also, the controlis not quickly responsive at slow speeds and the motor tends to overrunand hunt. Also, a complete system including motor and controller must beused with each yarn winding machine and the initial cost and maintenancecosts of multiple installations are high.

The yarn winding machine of the present invention eliminates theforegoing disadvantages and draw-backs of my prior yarn winding machine.To this end, the present yarn winding machine embodies a constant speeddrive means and a sensitve but simple and inexpensive speed changingmechanism.

Speed change ratios of up to ten to one are easily obtained wherebylarge packages may be wound on small tube or cone centers. Moreover thecontrol is quickly responsive at all speeds and there is no tendency tooverrun and hunt. Further the speed changing mechanism of each of aplurality of yarn winders is adapted to be actuated from a common sourceof power thereby resulting in a substantial saving in initial cost andlower maintenance costs.

Moreover, the present yarn winding machine operates to controlaccurately the rate of take up of the yarn during package formation andthe control provided is substantially uniform for each package woundwhereby the package characteristics of each of a series of packageswound on the machine or on a plurality of similar machines winding thesame type of yarn are substantially identical.

With the foregoing in mind, an object of the present invention is toprovide a speed changing mechanism for a yarn winding machine adapted toselectively control the rotary speed of the package so as to maintainits surface speed substantially equal to the supply speed of the yarncontinously throughout formation of the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a speed changingmechanism for a yarn winding machine which operates to gradually reducethe tension in the yarn at a desired rate during package formation andwherein the momentary tension in the yarn may be maintained at apredetermined desired value.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a yarnwinding machine having speed changing mechanism which in certain formsof the invention includes damping means operable to minimize anytendency 3,228,617 Patented Jan. 11, 1966 for the transmission mechanismto over correct or hunt thereby providing for closer control of thepackage characteristics during package formation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a yarn windingmachine having speed changing mechanism operable to control accuratelythe rate of take up of the yarn onto the winding machine during packageformation so that each of a series of packages wound on the machine oron a plurality of similarly adjusted machines will be substantiallyidentical.

A still further object of the Present invention is to provide a yarnwinding machine having speed changing mechanism wherein a series ofwinding machines may be actuated from a common power source and eachmechanism functions independently to control winding of the yarn in itsrespective winding machine in a predetermined desired manner.

All of the objects of the invention and the various features and detailsof the construction and operation thereof are more fully set forthhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a yarn winding machine embodyingspeed changing mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the yarn winding machine shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1 showingthe details and arrangement of a first embodiment of speed changingmechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 withparts broken away so that the details of the speed changing mechanismmay be seen, more clearly;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of speed changing mechanismsimilar to that shown in FIG. 4 including damping means for minimizingthe tendency of the mechanism to hunt;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a sec-0nd embodiment of speedchanging mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a third embodiment of speedchanging mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic arrangement of the discs and friction wheel of themechanism shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a form oflinkage for the yarn winding machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for use withthe speed changing mechanism of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawing and with reference particularly to the yarnwinding machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, yarn is deliveredat a constant linear speed from a feed roll, prior process or othersource, which is indicated by and hereinafter referred to as feed roll10, to the yarn winding machine which includes yarn take up means forwinding the yarn into a package.

As shown, the yarn passes around a dancer roll 11 carried by a pivotallymounted arm 12 and is laid on a package center 14 supported on arotatable winding spindle 16 by an oscillating traverse guide 18 to forma package 19. The winding spindle 16 is driven in the directionindicated in FIG. 1 by a motor M which is controlled by the normallyclosed switch S.

In accordance with the present invention, a speed changing mechanism isprovided which connects the constant speed motor M to the windingspindle 16 and operates to adjust the rotational speed of the windingspindle in a predetermined manner relative to the linear supply speed ofthe yarn to compensate for gradual increase in diameter of the packageduring formation of the package.

In accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.1-4 inclusive, the speed changing mechanism includes driving and drivenmembers, in the present instance, discs 32 and 34 mounted on shafts 36and 38 respectively which are journalled in spaced apart relation in ahousing 39. The shafts 36 and 38 are connected by suitable transmissionmeans, in the present instance, friction belts to the motor M andwinding spindle 16 respectively. An element in the form of a frictionwheel 40 is mounted between the driving and driven discs 32 and 34 insimultaneous engagement with overlapping portions of the discs andadapted for movement relative to the discs to vary the speed of thedriven disc 34 relative to the driving disc 32. The driving disc 32 isbiased by means of a spring 41 toward the driven disc 34 to maintain thefriction wheel 40 in engagement with the discs and the confronting facesof the discs and the peripheral surface of the friction wheel 40 arepreferably made rotation of the friction wheel 40 remaining parallel tothe plane AA.

The friction wheel 40 is mounted for movement relative to the discs bymeans of a U-shaped frame 46 which is pivotally mounted at the freeouter ends of the leg portions 47 of the frame to the end walls of thehousing 39, a bar 44 carried between the leg portions 47 and a tubularcylindrical carriage 42 which is mounted on the bar 44 for limitedmovement axially thereof and which supports along its length a dependingbracket 49 rotatably supporting the friction wheel 40. In the presentinstance, the U-shaped frame 46 pivots in a direction perpendicular tothe plane AA and is normally urged to pivot downwardly with respect toFIG. 4 when the discs are rotating in the direction indicated due to thedirection of the thrust force-s of the driving and driven discs 32 and34 acting on the friction wheel 40. Pivotal movement of the U-shap'edframe 46 is controlled by a linkage 43 operatively connecting theU-shaped frame 46 to a lever 50 carried by the dancer roll arm 12. Thelinkage ,43 includes a short follower arm 54 which mounts at one 'end aroller engaging the underside of the U-shaped frame 46 and is connectedat its opposite end to a stub shaft 56 rotatably mounted in the sidewall of the housing 39.

A transfer link 58 is secured at one end to the stub shaft 56 and ispivotally connected at its other end to a 9 vertical link 59 which inturn is pivotally connected at its lower end to the inner end of thelever 50. By this linkage arrangement, a comparatively largedisplacement of the dancer roll 11 acts through the linkage 43 to effecta small displacement of the U-shaped frame 46, which in turn results ina small displacement of the rotational axis of the friction wheel 40relative to the plane AA.

In operation of the yarn winding machine, yarn delivered at a constantlinear speed from the yarn supply roll is looped around the dancer roll11 and fed to the traverse guide 18 for winding onto the package center14 to form the package 19. In the present instance, operation of thewinding machine is controlled by raising the dancer roll arm 12 from theinclined position shown in broken lines in FIG. 1 toward a horizontalposition whereby the outer end of the lever 50 disengages the contact ofthe switch S to start the constant speed motor M. The motor M actuatesthe driving disc 32 which through the friction wheel 40 rotates thedriven disc 34 which in turn actuates the winding spindle 16 and packagecenter 14.

During the formation of the package 19 on the package center 14, thepackage gradually increases in diameter and since the yarn feed roll 10supplies yarn at a constant linear speed, it is necessary that therotary speed of the package 19 decrease gradually during formation ofthe package 19. The speed changing mechanism of the present inventionaffects this gradual decrease in the rotary speed of the package.

For example, if the package 19 rotates too fast and is taking up theyarn faster than it is being supplied, the yarn raises the dancer rollarm 12 which through the linkage 43 pivots the free end of the followerarm 54 downwardly permitting the frame 46 to pivot downwardly since asnoted above, the forces acting on the friction wheel 40 normally tend tourge it in a downward direction. Accordingly the rotational axis of thefriction wheel 4t] is displaced to a position below the plane AA wherebythe friction wheel 40 tends to follow spiral paths on the driving anddriven discs which effect movement of the friction wheel 40 and carriage42 to the right whereby the speed of the driven disc 34 is decreasedrelative to the speed of the driving disc 32 and accordingly the rotaryspeed of the package 19 is decreased. Conversely, if the package 19rotates to slowly and does not take up the yarn as fast as it is beingsupplied, the slack in the yarn permits the dancer roll arm 12 to drop,which through the linkage 43 pivots the free end of the follower arm 54upwardly to raise the U-shaped frame 46 and thereby move the frictionwheel 40 above the plane AA. In this position, the friction wheel 40tends to follow spiral paths on the discs which move it to the leftwhereby the speed of the driven disc 34 is increased relative to thedriving disc 32 and accordingly the rotary speed of the package 19 isincreased. It is noted that when the rotational axis of the frictionwheel 40 is positioned on either side of the plane AA and the frictionwheel 40 moves generally radially relative to the discs, this radialmovement is limited by abutment of the ends of the carriage 42 with theleg portions 47 of the U-shaped frame 46 to limit travel of the frictionwheel 40 between the overlapping portions of the discs.

Further when the rotational axis of the friction wheel 40 lies in theplane AA, there is no tendency of the friction wheel 40 to move to theleft or right and the relative speed of the discs remains constant. Itis noted that when the rotational axis of the friction wheel 40 lies inthe plane AA, the dancer roll arm 12 is disposed in approximately ahorizontal position.

Accordingly it may be seen that the speed changing mechanism of thepresent invention adjusts the rotary speed of the package 19 throughoutits formation to a value whose corresponding surface speed isapproximately equal to the linear speed of the yarn being supplied bythe supply means 10.

During formation of the package 19, it is desirable to provide apredetermined initial tension in the yarn which gradually decreasesduring the winding operation to prevent bulging of the packageandprovide a more satisfactorily wound package. In the present instance,this is accomplished by providing a coil spring 61 which is connected tothe frame of the winding machine at one end and to the lever 50 at itsother end and which normally tends to rotate the dancer roll arm 12 in acounterclockwise direction with respect to FIG. 1 counter to thedirection which the forces on the friction wheel 40 acting through thelinkage 43 tend to rotate the dancer roll arm 12. The tension in thespring 61 is selectively adjustable so that the initial tension forwinding may be varied selectively depending on the type of yarn beingwound.

This arrangement provides for a gradual decrease in 'yarn tension duringformation of the package 19 in the following manner. I

Since the diameter of the package 19 gradually increases, the frictionwheel 40 moves gradually to the right toward the inner periphery of thedriving disc 32 during formation of the package and the downward thrustof the discs 32 and 34 on the friction wheel 40 being a function oftorque increases as the friction wheel 40 moves to the right. Since thisdownward thrust on the friction wheel 49 which acts through the linkage43 is counter to the force of the spring 61, the net reaction force atthe dancer roll 11 which determines tension in the yarn is decreased. Itis noted that the dancer roll arm 12 remains in an approximatelyhorizontal position during package formation except for smalldisplacements to vary package rotary speed as noted above whereby thereaction force of the spring 61 remains substantially constant.Accordingly there is a gradual decrease in tension in the yarn duringpackage formation which is desirable to prevent bulging of the package.The rate of decrease in the yarn tension may be varied by changing thelinkage 43 to increase or decrease the effect of the downward thrustforce on the friction wheel 41 relative to the force of the spring 61.It is noted that at any instant during the winding operation asdescribed above there is a balance between the forces which tend toraise and those which tend to lower friction wheel 40 and that the onlyforce required to upset this balance and to effect a speed change is thesmall amount required to overcome the friction in the pivot points ofthe linkage system.

It is also noted that the force which changes the position of the dancerroll 11 and raises or lowers fn'ction wheel 40 to effect a speed changeis a tension differential in the yarn and it is an important advantageof the described speed changing mechanism as applied to yarn Windingthat only small tension differentials are required to secure speedcompensation and that there is therefore no significant fluctuation inyarn tension.

There is shown in FIG. 5 a modified form of the speed changing mechanismdescribed above including damping means adapted to minimize the tendencyof the friction wheel 40 to over correct or hunt during formation ofpackage. To this end there is provided a tubular cylindrical carriage'72 of an enlarged internal diameter greater than the diameter of thebar 44 and having axial end walls 74 providing a chamber C of apredetermined axial length. A piston 70 is mounted interiorly of thecarriage 72 and is fixed to the bar 44 at approximately the mid pointthereof. The piston '70 is shorter than the chamber C to permit axialmovement of the carriage 72 and friction wheel relative to the piston 70and bar 44. The chamber C may be filled with a compressible or anon-compressible fluid. In operation therefore as the carriage moves forexample to the right with respect to FIG. 5, the fluid is meteredthrough the annular clearance between the piston 70 and carriage fromthe right hand end of the chamber C to the left hand end thus serving asa buffer slowing down movement of the carriage. By this arrangementhunting of the friction wheel 40, for example due to slight movements ofthe dancer roll arm 12 resulting from oscillating movement of thetraverse guide 18 are minimized.

It is noted that the range of longitudinal movement of the frictionwheel 40 to the right or left is limited by abutment of the end face ofthe piston and the end walls of the carriage whereby the range ofmovement of the friction wheel 40 is confined to the overlappingportions of the discs. The amount of damping is determined by choice ofclearance between the piston 17 and carriage and/or choice of aparticular fluid.

Another embodiment of speed changing mechanism in accordance with thepresent invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 which is adapted for use in ayarn winding machine of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to control therate of take up of the yarn during package formation in a predeterminedmanner. The basic elements of the mechanism are identical to those ofthe speed changing mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and include drivingand driven discs 132 and 134 mounted on shafts 136 and 138 respectivelywhich are journa-lled in spaced apart relation between the side walls ofa housing 139. A friction wheel 140 is mounted between the driving anddriven discs for movement relative to the discs to vary the speed of thedriven disc 132 relative to the driving disc 134.

The means mounting the friction wheel 140 includes a U-shaped frame 146pivotally mounted between the end walls of the housing 139, a bar 144supported between the leg portions 147 of the U-shaped frame 146 and atubular cylindrical carriage 142 which is mounted on the bar 144 forlimited movement axially thereof and which supports along its length adependent bracket 149 rotatably supporting the friction wheel 140.

The axes of rotation of the disc 132 and 134 are disposed -in a commonplane BB and the axis of rotation of the friction wheel 140 is parallelto the plane BB. However, in accordance with this embodiment of theinvention, the plane BB is inclined relative to bar 144 whereby duringlongitudinal movement of carriage 142 on bar 144 the rotational axis offriction wheel 140 is moved transverse to plane BB. Transverse motion ofthe rotational axis of friction wheel 140 relative to plane BB is alsoproduced by rotational movement of the U-shaped frame 146 about itspivotal axis CC. The pivotal movement of the U-shaped frame 146 iscontrolled by a linkage similar in arrangement to the linkage 43.However, in the present instance a lever 131 of the type shown in FIGS.10 and 11 having a depending leg 133 is employed in lieu of the lever50. The vertical link 59 of the linkage 43 is connected to the inner endof the lever 131 and the lower end of the spring 61 is connected to thelower end of the leg 133. This arrangement provides for a desireddecrease in tension in the yarn during package formation as discussed indetail hereinafter.

In the operation of a yarn winding machine incorporating the embodimentof speed changing mechanism of FIG. 6, the yarn delivered from thesupply roll 10 is looped around the dancer roll 11 and fed to thetraverse guide 18 which lays the yarn on the package center to form thepackage 19. Operation of the winder is started by raising the dancerroll arm 12 to close the switch S to start the motor M. It is noted thatin the present instance the dancer roll arm assumes the position inbroken lines in FIG. 10 below the horizontal position at the start ofthe winding operation and that in this position the friction wheel 140is nearest its left-hand limit position with respect to FIG. 6.Thereafter during formation of the package, if the package rotates toofast and is taking up yarn faster than it is being supplied, the yarnraises the dancer roll arm 12 which through the linkage 43 pivots thefree end of the follower link 54 downwardly permitting the U-shapedframe 46 to be displaced downwardly.

Accordingly, the rotational axis of the friction wheel 140 moves to aposition below the plane BB whereby the friction wheel 140 tends tofollow spiral paths on the discs which effect movement of the frictionwheel 140 and carriage 142 to the right whereby the speed of the drivendisc relative to the speed of the driving disc is decreased andaccordingly the speed of the package is decreased. In the presentinstance the friction wh'eel 140 in moving to the right, intercepts theplane BB prior to maximum movement of the friction wheel to the rightwhereby there is no further movement of the friction wheel and therelative speed of the disc becomes constant. Conversely, if therotational axis of the friction wheel 140 is moved above the plane BB,for example, when the package rotates too slowly and is not taking upyarn as fast as it is being supplied, the friction wheel 140 andcarriage move to the left with respect to FIG. 6, until the rotationalaxis of the friction wheel 140 intercepts the plane BB. By this inclinedarrangement of the plane B-B relative to bar 144, an inherent dampingaction is provided. It is noted that the carriage and friction wheelmove rapidly in response to displacement of the rotational axis of thewheel with respect to the plane B-B but there is no over running orhunting when the desired relative speed of the discs is obtained.Preferably, in order to obtain optimum damping, transverse displacementof the friction wheel 140 relative to the plane BB is limited to a rangewherein the rotational axis of the wheel 140 lies in the plane B-B whenthe carriage is at extreme limit positions.

In employing the speed changing mechanism described above in a yarnwinding machine of the type shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2, it maybe seen that during formation of the package, the friction wheel 140'moves from left to right whereby as shown in FIG. 10, the dancer rollarm 12 moves from the broken line position below the solid, linehorizontal position, to the broken line posit-ion above horizontal andwhereby the lever 131 is rotated in a clockwise direction about itspivotal axis 137. Accordingly the spring 61 is extended by pivotalmovement of the lever 131 whereby the tension in the spring increasesfrom a predetermined value T at the start of the winding operation, to afinal increased value of T' at the finish of the Winding operation.However the moment arm of the spring 61 relative to the pivotal axis 137of the lever decrease from d to d during package formation andaccordingly the moment of the spring tending to rotate the dancer rollarm'12 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivotal axis 137 of thelever tends to decrease during package formation. Moreover the decreasein the counterclockwise moment of the tension in spring 61 about thepivotal axis 137 due to shortening the moment arm during packageformation is greater than the increase in this moment due to elongationof the spring during this period and the net result is that the tensionapplied to the yarn by the spring decreases during package formation.

Therefore the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 10 provides dual facilities fordecreasing the yarn tension during package formation. The amount of thisdecrease can be determined by adjusting the linkage ratio which fixesthe movement of friction wheel 141) relative to that of the dancer roll11 as with the previous embodiment or by adjusting the configuration oflever 131 and/ or the characteristics of spring 61. 1

A further embodiment of speed changing mechanism in accordance with thepresent invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 inclusive. The basicelements of the mechanism are identical to the form of the inventionshown in FIG. 5 and include driving and driven discs 232 and 234 mountedon shafts 236 and 238 respectively which are journalled in spaced apartrelation in a housing 239 and a frictional wheel 240 mounted between thediscs in simultaneous engagement with overlapping portions of the discsand adapted for movement relative to the discs to vary the speed' of thedriven disc 234 relative to the driving disc 232. The friction wheel 240is supported in a bracket 249 which depends from a carriage 272identical to the carriage 72 of FIG. 5, the carriage 272 being mountedfor axial movement on a bar 244. A piston 270 is mounted on the bar 244to provide damping means as discussed above in connection with the speedchanging mechanism shown in FIG. 5. The axes of rotation of the drivingand driven discs lie in a common plane DD and the rotational axis of thefriction wheel is parallel to the plane D-D and adapted for movement ina direction both perpendicular and transverse to the plane D--D.

In the present instance, a link 260 is pivotally mounted at eachopposite end wall of the housing 239 and the bar 244 is supportedbetween the outer free ends of the links One of the links has a handle261 for limited movement between stops in the form of pins 263projecting from the end wall of the housing in the path of movement ofthe handle 261. Accordingly it may be seen that by this arrangement thefriction wheel 240 may be moved relative to the plane DD by manipulationof the handle 261 to vary selectively the rotary speed of the drivendisc 234 relative to the driving disc 23-2. If desired, the handle 26 1may be connected to control mechanism which is responsive to pressure,temperature and other variables thereby to control the rotary speed ofan output shaft relative to that of an input shaft. Link 260, handle 261and stop pin-s 263 may be similarly applied to the speed changingmechanism of FIG. 6. This arrangement is particularly advantageous whena definite relationship is desired between the position of handle 261and the position of friction wheel and its corresponding ratio of outputto input speed of the speed changing mechanism.

FIG. 9 shows schematically the paths the friction wheel 240 tends tofollow on the driving and driven discs when the rotational axis of thefriction wheel is disposed at various positions relative to the commonplane DD. When the discs 232 and 234 are rotating in the directionindicated in FIG. 9, friction wheel 240 rolls downward relative to thecontact sunface of driving disc 232 and upward relative to the contactsun-face of driven disc 234. If the rotational axis of friction wheel240 lies in plane DD of axes of the discs, the periphery of the frictionwheel 240 follows a circular path P on disc 232 and a circular path P ondisc 234 and there is no force urging the friction wheel to move to theright or to the left along the plane DD. However, if the rotational axisof the friction wheel 240 is parallel to plane DD but positioned belowit as shown in FIG. 9, the path of the periphery of friction wheel 240is directed outward relative to the circular path P and inward relativeto circular path P whereby the friction wheel 240 tends to follow spiralpaths X on disc 232 and spiral path X on disc 234. In following thesepaths, friction wheel 240 moves from right to left until it reaches alimit position or until its rotational axis is raised to or above planeDD. If the rotational axis of the friction wheel 240 is positioned aboveplane D-D as shown in FIG. 7, the friction wheel 240 tends to followspiral paths indicated whereby the friction wheel 240 moves to theright. In FIG. 4, the rotational direction of the driving disc 32 and ofthe driven disc 34 are reversed relative to FIG. 9 and positioningfriction wheel 40 below plane AA causes the friction wheel to move tothe right as mentioned previously.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, it is not intended to limit the invention and changesand modifications may be made therein within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a yarn winding machine, rotatable take up means for winding yarninto a package, yarn supply means for feeding yarn to said take up meansat a substantially constant linear speed, constant speed drive means forsaid take up means, a speed changing mechanism operatively connectingsaid drive means to said take up means and adapted to adjust the rate ofrotation of the yarn take up means relative to the rate of yarn supplyto compensate for increase in the diameter of the package during packageformation, said speed changing mechanism comprising driving and drivendisc members mounted for rotation about axes disposed in a common plane,a friction wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to saidcommon plane and in simultaneous engagement with said disc members,means connecting said driving disc member to said drive means forrotation thereby, means connecting said driven'disc member to said takeup means to actuate the same, mounting means mounting said frictionwheel for movement on opposite sides of said common plane whereby saidfriction wheel tends to move in one direction generally radiallyrelative to the disc members when the rotational axis of the frictionwheel is disposed on one side of said common plane thereby to increasethe speed of rotation of the driven disc member relative to the drivingdisc member and whereby said friction wheel tends to move generallyradially relative to the disc members in a direction opposite said onedirection when the rotational axis of the friction wheel is disposed onthe side of said common plane opposite said one side thereby to decreasethe speed of rotation of said driven disc member relative to saiddriving disc member, and means operable to actuate said mounting meansto displace the rotational axis of said friction wheel to said one sideof said common plane when yarn is taken up slower than it is being fedand operable to actuate said mounting means to displace the rotationalaxis of said friction wheel to the side of said common plane oppositesaid one side when yarn is taken up faster than it is being fed anddamping means operable to minimize the tendency of said friction wheelto hunt during formation of the package.

2. Speed changing mechanism comprising a rotatable driving disc member,a driven disc member mounted for rotation about an axis disposed in acommon plane with the axis of rotation of said driving disc member, anelement interengaged between said driving and driven disc members andmovable relative thereto to vary the speed of the driven disc memberrelative to the driving disc member, said element when disposed on oneside of said common plane tending to move in one radial directionrelative to said disc members thereby to increase the speed of rotationof the driven disc member relative to the driving disc member and saidelement when disposed on the opposite side of said common plane tendingto move in a generally radial direction opposite said one directionthereby to decrease the speed of rotation of said driven disc memberrelative to said driving disc member and means mounting said element formovement in a direction transverse to said common plane and at an angleto said common plane to selectively vary the relative speed of rotationof said driving and driven disc members whereby said element is adaptedto intercept said common plane between the axes of rotation of saiddriving and driven disc members when said element is disposed on eitherside of said common plane.

3. A speed changing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein said elementcomprises a friction wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallelto said common plane.

4. Speed changing mechanism comprising a housing, driving and drivendisc members mounted for rotation in said housing about axes disposed ina common plane, a friction wheel mounted for rotation about an axisparallel to said common plane and engaging overlapping portions of saiddriving and driven disc members and movable relative thereto to vary thespeed of the driven disc member relative to the driving disc member,said friction wheel when disposed on one side of said common planetending to move in one radial direction relative to said disc membersthereby to increase the speed of rotation of the driven disc memberrelative to the driving disc member and said friction wheel whendisposed on the opposite side of said common plane tending to move in agenerally radial direction opposite said one direction thereby todecrease the speed of rotation of said driven disc member relative tosaid driving disc member and a supporting frame mounted in said housingsupporting said friction wheel for movement in a direction transverse tosaid common plane and at an angle to said common plane to selectivelyvary the relative speed of rotation of said driving and driven discmembers whereby said friction wheel is adapted to intercept said commonplane between the axes of rotation of said driving and driven discmembers when said element is disposed on either side of said com-monplane.

5. Speed changing mechanism comprising driving and driven disc membersmounted for rotation about axes disposed in a common plane and havingparallel confronting surfaces, a shaft member parallel to theconfronting surfaces of said disc members and disposed in non-parallelrelationship to said common plane, a friction wheel interengaged betweenthe confronting surfaces of said disc members and mounted for rotationabout an axis parallel to said common plane, means mounting saidfriction wheel for longitudinal movement relative to said shaft member,means mounting said shaft member for movement relative to said discmembers operable to displace the rotational axis of said friction wheelin a direction transverse to said common plane, said friction wheeltending to move in one direction longitudinally of the shaft member andat an angle to said common plane to increase the speed of rotation ofthe driven disc member relative to the driving disc member when therotational axis of said friction wheel is disposed on one side of saidcommon plane and said friction wheel tending to move in a longitudinaldirection relative to said shaft member opposite said one direction andat an angle to said common plane to decrease the speed of rotation ofthe driven disc member relative to the driving disc member when saidfriction wheel is disposed on the side of said common plane oppositesaid one side.

6. Speed changing mechanism comprising driving and driven disc membersmounted for rotation about axes disposed in a common plane and havingparallel confronting surfaces, a shaft member parallel to theconfronting surfaces of said disc members and disposed in non-parallelrelationship to said common plane, biasing means urging the confrontingsurfaces of said disc members toward one another, a friction wheelinterengaged between the confronting surfaces of said disc members andmounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said common plane, meansmounting said friction wheel for longitudinal movement relative to saidshaft member, means mounting said shaft member for movement relative tosaid disc members operable to displace the rotational axis of saidfriction wheel in a direction transverse to said common plane, saidfriction wheel tending to move in one direction longitudinally of theshaft member and at an angle to said common plane to increase the speedof rotation of the driven disc member relative to the driving discmember when the rotational axis of said friction wheel is disposed onone side of said common plane and said friction Wheel tending to move ina longitudinal direction relative to said shaft member opposite said onedirection and at an angle to said common plane to decrease the speed ofrotation of the driven disc member relative to the driving disc memberwhen said friction wheel is disposed on the side of said common planeopposite said one side.

7. In a yarn winding machine, rotatable take up means for winding yarninto a package, means to feed yarn at a constant speed to said take upmeans, constant speed drive means for said take up means, speed changingmechanism between said constant speed drive means and said take up meanscomprising driving and driven disc members mounted for rotation aboutaxes disposed in a common plane and having parallel confrontingsurfaces, a shaft member parallel to the confronting surfaces of saiddisc members and disposed in non-parallel relationship to said commonplane, a friction wheel interengaged between said disc members andmounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said common plane, meansmounting said friction wheel for longitudinal movement relative to saidshaft member, means mounting said shaft member for movement relative tosaid disc members operable to displace the rotational axis of saidfriction wheel in a direction transverse to said common plane, saidfriction wheel tending to move in one direction longitudinally of theshaft member and at an angle to said common plane to increase the speedof rotation of the driven disc member relative to the driving discmember when the rotational axis of said friction wheel is disposed onone side of said common ,plane and said friction wheel tending to movein a longitudinal direction opposite said one direction relative to saidshaft member and at an angle to said common plane to decrease the speedof rotation of the driven disc member relative to the driving discmember when said friction wheel is disposed on the side of said commonplane opposite said one side.

8. In a yarn winding machine as claimed in claim 7 including a dancerroll arm pivotally mounted at a point along its length having a dancerroll at one end thereof and 21 depending leg at the opposite endthereof, said yarn being feed from said feed means around said dancerroll to said pickup means, biasing means connected adjacent the outerend of said depending leg for normally pivoting said dancer roll arm inone direction and operable to provide a predetermined initials tensionin said yarn, and means including a linkage connecting said meansmounting said friction wheel and said dancer roll arm whereby pivotalmovement of said dancer roll arm from a predetermined position in saidone direction actuates said friction wheel in a direction transverse tosaid common plane whereby said friction wheel moves gradually toward theaxis of rotation of said driving disc member during formation of thepackage and said dancer roll arm pivots through a predetermined arc in adirection opposite said one direction whereby the moment of said springeffecting tension in the yarn gradually decreases thus effecting agradual decrease in tension in the yarn during package formation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,509,250 5/1950Roberts 24245 2,608,355 8/1952 Bell et a1 24245 2,609,998 9/1952 Sear242-45 X 2,947,490 8/1960 Gonsalves 242--45 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,286 3/1960 Canada.

19,719 of 1894 Great Britain. 488,456 12/ 1953 Italy.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, Examiner.

1. IN A YARN WINDING MACHINE, ROTATABLE TAKE UP MEANS FOR WINDING YARNINTO A PACKAGE, YARN SUPPLY MEANS FOR FEEDING YARN TO SAID TAKE UP MEANSAT A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT LINEAR SPEED, CONSTANT SPEED DRIVE MEANS FORSAID TAKE UP MEANS, A SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM OPERATIVELY CONNECTINGSAID DRIVE MEANS TO SAID TAKE UP MEANS AND ADAPTED TO ADJUST THE RATE OFROTATION OF THE YARN TAKE UP MEANS RELATIVE TO THE RATE OF YARN SUPPLYTO COMPENSATE FOR INCREASE IN THE DIAMETER OF THE PACKAGE DURING PACKAGEFORMATION, SAID SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM COMPRISING DRIVING AND DRIVENDISC MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AXES DISPOSED IN A COMMON PLANE,A FRICTION WHEEL MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAIDCOMMON PLANE AND IN SIMULTANEOUS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DISC MEMBERS,MEANS CONNECTING SAID DRIVING DISC MEMBER TO SAID DRIVE MEANS FORROTATION THEREBY, MEANS CONNECTING SAID DRIVEN DISC MEMBER TO SAID TAKEUP MEANS TO ACTUATE THE SAME, MOUNTING MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRICTIONWHEEL FOR MOVEMENT ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID COMMON PLANE WHEREBY SAIDFRICTION WHEEL TENDS TO MOVE IN ONE DIRECTION GENERALLY RADIALLYRELATIVE TO THE DISC MEMBERS WHEN THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE FRICTIONWHEEL IS DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID COMMON PLANE THEREBY TO INCREASETHE SPEED OF ROTATION OF THE DRIVEN DISC MEMBER RELATIVE TO THE DRIVINGDISC MEMBER AND WHEREBY SAID FRICTION WHEEL TENDS TO MOVE GENERALLYRADIALLY RELATIVE TO THE DISC MEMBERS IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE SAID ONEDIRECTION WHEN THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE FRICTION WHEEL IS DISPOSED ONTHE SIDE OF SAID COMMON PLANE OPPOSITE SAID ONE SIDE THEREBY TO DECREASETHE SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN DISC MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAIDDRIVING DISC MEMBER, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO ACTUATE SAID MOUNTING MEANSTO DISPLACE THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF SAID FRICTION WHEEL TO SAID ONE SIDEOF SAID COMMON PLANE WHEN YARN IS TAKEN UP SLOWER THAN IT IS BEING FEDAND OPERABLE TO ACTUATE SAID MOUNTING MEANS TO DISPLACE THE ROTATIONALAXIS OF SAID FRICTION WHEEL TO THE SIDE OF SAID COMMON PLANE OPPOSITESAID ONE SIDE WHEN YARN IS TAKEN UP FASTER THAN IT IS BEING FED ANDDAMPING MEANS OPERABLE TO MINIMIZE THE TENDENCY OF SAID FRICTION WHEELTO HUNT DURING FORMATION OF THE PACKAGE.